By Fred Diaz | Fountain Hills
March 15, the NPOA held their Annual Meeting, during which the board presented an update on activities of 2024, alignment for the NPOA Strategic Plan, as well as held elections for board vacancies. While the information that was presented was encouraging, the election and result was troubling.
Beyond the issue of low turnout of delegates, it was never made clear that one of the candidates who was running for a board seat was married to a current board member. That individual ultimately was elected to the board. While there may be no rules prohibiting two members from the same home serving on the board, it is highly problematic from a conflict-of-interest standpoint.
Given the role of the NPOA, and its oversight of more than 4,000 homes in Fountain Hills, it’s important that we have a wide range of points of view, not an outsized, shared view of one home. The board is composed of nine representatives from Fountain Hills, so two members from one home, who are likely to vote in lockstep, does not achieve diversity of perspective — rather, a voting advantage.
Perhaps, no issues will arise, and perhaps the individuals elected are who is best for the NPOA board, but not sharing the conflict of interest with the voting delegates in itself is an issue. My hope is that we have a strong, caring and individual, thought-focused board dedicated to the betterment of Fountain Hills and its residents.
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